Aragon boys’ swimming surges into PAL's top spot

The win came as something of a stunner for sixth-year head coach Carly DeMarchena. It is the first time in her tenure Aragon has defeated M-A.

“I don’t think in my time I have ever beat them,” DeMarchena said. “So, I know it’s been a long time.”

The Dons’ first-place standing may be a sign of things to come. Aragon has just one senior on its boys’ varsity roster in Amogh Parvate and has emerged as a burgeoning PAL power thanks to a group of sensational sophomores in Gabe Anagnoson, Sean Lai, Sherman Lee, Seth Smith and Ryan Vattuone.

“It’s pretty big because I know Aragon isn’t necessarily the [swimming] powerhouse in general,” Anagnoson said. “We’ve got a bunch of great sophomores and another group of swimmers coming up next year. It’s going to be fun seeing Aragon take off in swimming over the next few years.”

The unique dynamic of this sophomore group is linked to the COVID season of 2021, when PAL teams did not swim head-to-head. A season was indeed held, but teams swam as isolated groups in their home pools, and scores were calibrated against opponents who swam in their own pools.

In other words, no fun whatsoever.

“It’s so much better being able to see who you get to race, it motivates you way more than just getting to swim against the people from your own team that you see every day,” Anagnoson said. “It’s just so much more fun getting that competition.”

Anagnoson was one of two Dons to earn four wins against M-A. He led off the day with a win swimming the leadoff backstroke leg of the 200 medley relay, then took first place in the 200 individual medley (2 minutes, 2.75 seconds); in the 100 backstroke (57.87 seconds); and finished the meet as the first leg of the first-place team in the 400 freestyle relay.

In addition to his sheer performance, it is the vigor with which Anagnoson swims the leadoff leg of the 200 medley relay that has put a charge into the team, DeMarchena said.

“His backstroke just starts off the medley relay with such a strong start,” DeMarchena said. “Off the wall, he’s just yards ahead of everyone. And that just sets the tide for everybody. And just being the first leg of the first varsity event of a meet sets the tone for everyone.”

Smith also earned four wins, including on the same relay teams with Anagnoson in the 200 medley and the 400 free relays. Smith also took first place in the 200 free (1:52.51) and the 100 butterfly (56.99).

The group has gelled much in part to the core — Smith and Lee, along with junior Colin Johnson — growing up swimming at the Burlingame Aquatics Club. Anagnoson is the outlier, having long competed in the club ranks with Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics.

And while DeMarchena knew she had a strong group of incoming boys last season, she said she has been surprised to learn just how strong they are this season.

“They all stood out as great swimmers but not swimming against other swimmers, it was hard to tell just how great the were,” DeMarchena said. “I knew going into the season we were going to be strong. But how good we were going to be? I didn’t really comprehend the level we were at.”

Despite a large sophomore contingent, the leadership has not been lacking. Aragon’s swimmers insisted on submitting their own lineup for Friday’s dual meet, with Anagnoson taking the lead.

As per the final score, the lineup turned out to be quite effective.

“The varsity boys were just stoked to be doing this,” DeMarchena said. “They actually sent me the lineup … they know themselves and they know these guys a lot in club.”

Aragon’s other winners from the pivotal dual meet were: Vattuone in the 50 free (23.68); Lee in the 500 free (5:12.72); the 200 free relay team of Vattuone, Lai, Xavier McKenzie and Christien Wong (1:36.01); and Johnson in the 100 breast (1:03.96).

“Just to have the overall diversity of swimmers that we have, we have someone in pretty much every single stroke that can win events,” DeMarchena said. “And then just the overall depth.”